MPI Pictures: A New Theatrical Distribution (and Production?) Label

According to an April 25th, 2012 post to Movieline's blog, MPI Media Group is launching a new theatrical distribution label, MPI Pictures.

Marie Therese Guirgis (formerly at Wellspring and executive producer of Jonathan Caouette’s Tarnation and Rupert Murray’s Unknown White Male) will serve as Head of Theatrical Distribution for MPI Pictures.

The new label will specialize in acquiring distribution rights to foreign-language art house fare and "high end genre and American independent films." Apparently, the business plan for MPI Pictures will also include the potential for making their own original productions.

To begin with, MPI Pictures will be looking for completed films at Cannes in May 2012 - with an eye toward placing acquired films in theaters as well as "Video On Demand, digital, DVD and beyond."

"The audience for commercial foreign-language and independent films remains a flourishing niche in the marketplace,” commented [MPI's EVP Greg] Newman on launching MPI Pictures in a statement. "With the launch of our theatrical division we have the ability not only to release completed feature films that we acquire but also to release our own original productions."